Legacy of Kain: Retribution
by Cy8erman
Summary: Kain's Empire has swept across the land like a storm, backing humanity into a corner. Now the humans prepare to make their final stand... PLEASE review, and regarding that angry one... you gotta right to believe what you believe.
1. Chapter 1

Kain sat on his throne, a throne built around the base of the tallest of the ruined Pillars of Nosgoth, the Pillar of Balance. The Balance Pillar had been Kain's own, tied to his heart by bonds which even his untimely death could not break, and upon his dark rebirth his bond was strengthened further as he took his first steps toward his inevitable destiny.  
And now he sat at the very heart of the Pillars he had damned that fateful day so many centuries ago, surrounded by those who once hunted his kind to the precipice of extinction and had now become the captains that led the species in their bloody war with humanity.

Kain was bizarre to look at, yet oddly beautiful in his own right. His skin had long ago shed and given way to a layer of large scales that covered the undead Emperor from head to foot. The scales were of a dark, mottled brown streaked with black. His eyebrow ridge had slanted upwards, reaching slightly above the top of his head. The ridges, coupled with his large pointed ears, formed what appeared to be a natural crown forged of Kain's own being. His hands and feet had also changed, becoming more like those the ancient Vampire Vorador had possessed. The digits of his hand joined together and his thumb had thickened creating three thick fingers made entirely of an oddly hard substance. Similarly his toes had joined, creating two cloven feet, looking oddly like hooves, also formed of the same hard material. His long, white hair was enclosed towards it's end in a gold circlet.  
Leaning against the right side of his throne was Kain's imposing weapon – the Soul Reaver. Legends told the blade was forged millennium ago, at the birth of the world, and wielded by the old, Dark Gods as they warred with those of Light. The Dark Gods had lost the battle, but in their last desperate attack they had cast the blade down into Nosgoth where it had pierced the heart of a young boy. The Reaver had drained the boy's soul and in so doing had created the first Vampire.

Now Kain's right hand dropped to the hilt of his blade, softly caressing the handle as though he was preparing to throw it without warning at the figure before him.  
The old human was crouched on one knee. He was the leader of the priesthood that had formed when Kain's armies had secured the Pillars. Humans were odd creatures, some worshipping their new rulers while others fought.

"The people of Uschtenheim have begun moving south, and the lands of Provance and Meridian have retreated into the mountains in the south. Our spies among the populace report that many stonemasons have been moved there as well." He was silent for a moment, terrified of giving the news to his wrathful god. "They are building a fortress in the mountains, sire. A fortress that is defended by vampire hunters, and by the descendants of the Sarafan."

Kain took in the news with a sneer on his face. The last remnants of the rebellious humans had banded together several times since Kain's rule, often storming into the birthing grounds of fledglings during the day and slaughtering them. In the silence that followed the report, there was the soft sound of something wet and small hitting the beautiful floor.  
An ear, grey and rotted, lay on the floor at the feet of the youngest of the Vampiric chiefs – Melchiah.

Melchiah, the youngest of Kain's children, had received the smallest portion of Kain's soul. It had transpired that the amount he received was not sufficient to sustain his immortality. While his soul was still strong, it was unable to bestow that strength on his flesh and subsequently he was literally rotting away. He constantly had to use the flesh of his victims to replace his own. An eye placed in his empty socket, a hand sewn to the stump of his forearm... and because of this his appearance was constantly changing. Currently, he had a small patch of ginger hair on the side of his head. His left eye was bloodshot, and his right was piercing green. His skin was covered in stitches and patches of skin, none of which were the same colour.  
However, Melchiah was vain. He would only feed on those he considered beautiful, male and female alike, and he would have them skinned and patched to him. He saw himself as an amalgamation of the best of humanity, despite the fact that he looked like a mad theologians failed experiment.

His right hand shot up to the side of his face and he bowed forward in apology.

"Forgive me my lord. It has been several days since my last replenishment..."

Kain's eyes flickered slightly, betraying a deep compassion for the youngest of his children, but was quickly replaced by his usual arrogant glare.

"It has been an overly long meeting. We will adjourn for a while. I will summon you after you have... collected yourselves."

Each of his six sons moved before him and inclined their heads, the priest prostrated himself and crawled from the throne room. After he had gone and the doors had been sealed, Kain raised his thick forefinger and a young girl, no older than 13 years, ran forward and removed the discarded body part from the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

The seven members of the war council stood in the dim glare of the sun for a moment, basking in the shrouded light which would turn fledgling Vampires into a burnt husk. Presently, the priest begged his leave of the six lieutenants and hastily departed. Once he had gone one of the 'brothers' saw an immediate opportunity to have fun... at Melchiah's expense.

"Well, well little brother! What did you think of the reports? I couldn't help but notice the conversation caught your ear!"

A high pitched laugh emerged from the throat of the jester. This was Zephon, the fifth born of the brothers who constantly belittled his only younger sibling. His body was very thin, and unlike his elder siblings his body still retained a vestige of humanity. His skin was the pale white of a long dead corpse, with green eyes and purple lips. He wore heavy leather boots on his human feet, and thick armoured gauntlets on his hands. His chest was covered by armour forged of black metal, bearing on its centre the glyph of his clan. His long black hair hung loosely over his shoulders and down to the small of his back. Zephon had recently returned from a battle to the north, and had lacked the time to don his ceremonial garments that were usually worn when attending an audience with the father.His laugh continued as another of the kindred stepped forward. This one also bore the semblance of humanity, although not as strongly as Zephon. His skin had grown past the pale stage and was now the colour of a light tan. Black veins were spread across his exposed face, and his eyelids had grown black. His hands and feet had not yet evolved into a higher state and he wore boots over his feet. His hands, chest and arms were covered by only a strap of leather and his banner hung over his right shoulder. This was Rahab, who alone among the lieutenants had inherited the Master's resistance to water. His eye's were a pale cerulean (almost like water themselves) and his lips were blue.  
As Rahab stepped forward he placed a hand on Zephon's shoulder and muttered, "Not here Zephon. The elders are present."  
He referred to the eldest of the three siblings, those who had received the largest portion of Kain's gift and as such were the strongest of the brood.  
Zephon smiled, his eyes glowing with jealous pride, and he moved towards the elders and glared at each of them in turn. Each of the elders was clothed similarly to Rahab having been away from battle for many months.

First to meet his eye was Dumah, whose muscled body rippled as though it restrained itself from leaping at Zephon and beating him into a pulp (he had done it before many times). His appearance was akin to Rahab's. As Dumah had left the State of Change, Rahab had entered, and had newly emerged with his new Dark Gifts.

The State of Change was the event which prompted metamorphosis in the Vampiric race. Occasionally Kain would feel the sleep come upon him and would enter a tall tower with his trusted bodyguard. He would sleep then, for many months, and when he awoke he would find a new power or new appearance awaiting him. After Kain had emerged from the State, his children (in descending order) would follow him, and their clans would follow them. However Melchiah and his children, the Melchahim, were hard put to change. The State required many months of starvation and in the degenerate brood, bodies could entirely decompose if not properly maintained. However should the Vampire survive any flesh he grafts to his own will also be endowed with the Dark Gift, and so become a part of him.

Next Zephon's eyes fell on Turel, whose dark brown skin mirrored most his creator. His eyes were yellow also, and his hair worn in a similar fashion to Kain's. Turel was an adept in the natural telekinetic powers each Vampire had (another way in which he was similar to his father), and his natural affinity for it led him to believe that he was in fact Kain's strongest son... and the most likely to succeed should Kain expire.

But this was not true, for Kain's strongest son stood beside Turel, and it was he that Zephon looked upon next. And when his eyes met the eyes of the eldest brother, they flinched as though he had been threatened. For this was Raziel, firstborn of Kain's brood who had received as much of Kain's gift as the others combined. He had died young in life, and young had he been reborn. And, stuck in eternal youth, his face was the most beautiful of the siblings, and his body and mind the most powerful.

His hair was shorter than that of his brother's, and he left it unkempt upon his head. His skin was hard, and he perceived that his next transformation would see the formation of scales similar to Kain's. His three claws were of the same material as Kain's, and his cloven feet (the only pair among the brood) showed he had also recently left awoken from the State.

And his black eyes stared into Zephon's who turned slowly away, smiling his poisonous smile.

"Zephon?"

The thin warrior did not turn.

"Zephon?"

Still he walked on, then stopped as he heard a tearing and felt a sharp pain on the side of his head. He spun around and saw Raziel holding something small and bloody in his claws.

"Well, little brother, now that I have _your_ ear, there is something I would say."

Zephon paled and stared daggers at Raziel, who didn't seem to feel them.

"I have warned you of pointing out Melchiah's faults, little spider. And I have also warned you of the punishments."

He turned to the youngest and handed him Zephon's ear. "I suggest you hurry and attach it, Melchiah, before the audience is resumed."

Melchiah bowed low and, secretly smiling, hurried away to his human physicians. Zephon remained where he stood, his face still frozen in a mixture of terror and pure, bestial rage. Rahab once more placed a hand on Zephon's shoulder and smiled to Raziel.

"Zephon begs forgiveness, my lord. He had forgotten the orders you issued him. It won't happen again."

"Good. And let this be an end on't."

Together, the pair walked away with alarming speed, leaving the eldest three to peruse the immense fortress that was the Sanctuary of the Clans.

"With Uschtenheim emptied the north is practically ours. We should consider moving our troops into key areas and consolidating our hold." Turel spoke quickly and practically, a trait which had gained Kain's favour many times.

Raziel nodded slightly and drained his goblet of blood.

"I agree. Dumah, you shall do this. Take your children and several battalions of the humans. The north must be brought under Kain's heel quickly. The father wishes to investigate some ruins to the north that he believes may have been constructed by the old Dark Ones."

Dumah and Turel were silent for a moment, displaying the necessary respect for the progenitors of their race. They did not know who the 'Dark Ones' were, but Kain often spoke of them in reverence and so they believed they must be of great import. However more often than not Kain spoke of them in disgust, scorning their beliefs and their lives before he disappeared mysteriously for days on end.

The moment had passed, and the brothers rose and began walking towards the gardens. Dumah had already begun forming the army he would lead to the north. A figure approached them from their right, smiling broadly. It was Melchiah who turned to the side and displayed his new ear proudly.

"I must thank you, brother, for intervening. Zephon finds my failings amusing, and does not let me forget that."

Raziel smiled warmly and gestured for him to join them. "We were discussing the north, Melchiah. Now that it is empty of its armies, Dumah will be leading his children there to ensure it remains secure."

The patchwork Vampire thought for a moment and nodded quickly. "A sound plan. However do not take fledglings with you. There are no Furnaces there to blot out the sun's light there yet." He turned to Dumah, "**That** must be your priority when you arrive brother. Until the sun is forever masked, the humans will have hope... and hope leads to rebellion."

Upon consolidating the seat of his empire, Kain had overseen the construction of huge furnaces which were fed by anything flammable. The resulting smog served to blanket the sun's light which, created a feeling of nausea within the body of the elder Vampires, but fried newborns very quickly.

Dumah nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced as a soft voice came into their minds.

"The Lord Kain has ordered the Council to reconvene, my lords."


End file.
